Strengthening Our Community Through Nurturing and Growth
Together, We Help Our Community Bloom
As the year comes to a close, we’re reminded that our community is like a garden—each person and family with their own roots, needs, and potential to grow.
At Jewish Family & Community Services (JFCS) East Bay, our mission is to build a community where everyone can flourish with dignity. Guided by Jewish values and strengthened by our partnerships with the diverse East Bay communities we serve, we nurture resilience—helping individuals and families overcome challenges, access opportunity, and grow stronger together.
Your Impact in 2025
- 168 clients received one-on-one employment coaching
- 25 refugees secured stable jobs, gaining independence for their families
- 140 active legal cases protecting families and asylum seekers from deportation
- 60% of these cases involve survivors of violence
- 150+ children and parents received 2,500 hours of trauma-informed therapy and support
- 230 Holocaust survivors received home care, social connection, and essential aid
- 81 family caregivers accessed respite and counseling services
- 195 Russian-speaking older adults participated in wellness programs reducing isolation
- 1,500 meals were delivered to 250 homebound older adults by 400 volunteers
Each of these numbers represents a life—someone’s parent, spouse, child, or neighbor—who has been touched by your generosity.
Our Mission Has Never Been More Vital
Recent federal policy changes, rising costs, and funding cuts are straining the people we serve. The Budget Reconciliation Act (H.R.1) limits access to health and food benefits for refugees, immigrants, and low-income families—while adding new barriers that make it harder for many to stay covered.
More people are turning to JFCS East Bay to navigate complex systems, find food and healthcare support, and rebuild stability after losing the safety nets they once relied on. At the same time, increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity and new restrictions on immigrant eligibility have dramatically increased the demand for our Immigration Legal Services.
Rising housing, food, and healthcare costs have created new hardships for older adults, Holocaust survivors, and local families who once felt secure but now face crisis.
These are changes in federal policy and funding—not a change in who we are or what we stand for.
Even as the new federal determination on refugee admissions sets arrivals at a historic low, JFCS East Bay will continue to support refugees and immigrants already in the East Bay—with dignity, care, and pathways to self-sufficiency.
This moment calls us to deepen our partnerships, reaffirm our commitment to those seeking safety and belonging, and strengthen the local network of care that keeps our community resilient.
Even When Storms Arise, Our Community Endures—Because of You
When S.D., a refugee mother of three children with autism, came to us determined to restart her career, our Employment Services team helped her rebuild confidence and return to work.
When Rosa, a widowed older adult with a new disability, reached out, our Adult Services program connected her with in-home care, meals, and wellness support—helping her feel “part of something again.”
These are just two of hundreds of lives touched by your generosity this year—each one a testament to the care that holds our community together.
